Can-opener.



No. 844,202. PATENTED FEB. 12, 1907. P. G. SMALSTIG.

CAN OPENER.

APPLIOATION FILED DEQ. 30, 1905.

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UNITED STATES PATENT @FFIQE.

CAN=OPENERn Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 12, 1907.

Application filed December 30,1905. Serial No. 293,940.

T0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERioK C. SMAL- s'rie, a citizen of the United States, residing at Allegheny, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Can-Openers, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to can-openers; and the primary object is to provide a tool of simple and substantial construction which may be used in either horizontal or vertical posi tion, its use horizontally being when opening circular cans of various sizes, at which time the pointed fulcrum projecting from its forward extremity is inserted in the center of the can-top, with the blade adjusted to the size of the can being opened.

For cutting square and other cans by a lever movement the tool is held in upright position, with the cutter fixed and a portion of the body serving as the fulcrum. In the last-described position the lever movement may be dispensed with by simply pulling or drawing the upright cutter along the line to be severed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l. is a top plan view, and Fig. 2 a longitudinal sec tional view, of the device when used in horizontal position, taken on line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Figs. 3 and 4 are similar views of the same when used in upright position. Fig. 5 illusti ates the blade in detail. Fig. 6 is a crosssectional view on line 6 6 of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings, the body of the can-opener is formed of a single piece or casting and comprises shank portion 2 and han dle portion 3, out of line with each other and connected by offset 4. Shank 2 is open from its front end to and through its rear end. and slidable thereon beneath ribs or bridges 5 is cutter 6, the latter being readily inserted through the open inner end of the shank. Projecting forwardly from the front end of the cutter is blade 7, and also projecting laterally therefrom is another blade 8, the latter being preferably formed of the metal displaced in forming notch 8, the latter being adapted to embrace enlargement 9 on the up per side of the forward end of shank 2 and iinit the movement of the cutter in that direction, with blade 7 projected for the use illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4:.

Handle portion 3 is constructed with a forwardly-projecting tongue-like part 3, which overhangs shank portion 2 and forms a stop for the sprii'ig-tongue 6, carried by the rear end of cutter 6, thereby holding the cutter in the projected position indicated in Figs. 3 and 4. When using the device as in Figs. 1 and 2, spring 6 frictionally engages the under face of the handle or of tongue 3 and holds the cutter the required distance from the pointed fulcrum or center 10 projecting from enlargement 9, point 10 being forced into the center of the can-top in the well-- known manner. The cutter is thus securely held for making circular incisions of any desired diameter.

When used as in Figs. 3 and 4 for cutting around the edge of a square or other can by a forward step-by-step lever motion, blade 7 is simply forced into the can, the rear edge or heel 2 of shank 2 bearing on the can edge and serving as the fulcrum. When thus used, the central fulcrum or turning-point 10 overhangs the outer edge of the can, as shown in Fig. I, and prevents the opener from running inward out of its course. For simply ripping open the top of a can without the lever action the opener may be positioned as in Figs. 3 and 4 and simply drawn forward around the can edge without changing the upright position of the tool.

Two pieces or parts-viz, the body and the cutter-comprise the whole device. In assembling, all that is necessary is to insert the cutter in the open rear end of the shank, and after being thus inserted spring-tongue 6 holds it positioned with relation to either of the fulcrums.

I claim 1. A can-opener comprising a body formed with a shank portion and a handle portion, a tongue projecting from the handle portion and overhanging the shank portion, a cutter slidable on the shank portion, and a spring projecting from the cutter and adapted to engage said tongue for holding the cutter in adjusted position.

2. A can-opener comprising a body formed with a shank portion and a handle portion connected by an offset whereby the shank and handle portions are out of line with each other, the shank portion constituting a slideway with its inner end open beneath the handle portion, a slidable cutter adapted to be inserted in said open end, and a spring projection on the cutter adapted to bear against the handle portion for holding the cutter positioned.

3. A can-opener comprising a body having a slideway, a fulcrum at the forwardend of the body, a cutter movable in the slideway, and a spring carried by the cutter and adapted to engage the body for holding the cutter positioned with relation to the fulcrum.

4. A can-opener comprising a body having a slideway and with its forward end provided with two fulcrum-points operative r'espectivelywith the cutter in horizontal and in upright position, a cutter movable-:in-the,

slideway and provided with two blades extending. at right angles to each other, and means for holding thev cutter in position in the slideway.

5. A can-opener comprising'a body having a slideway, one edge of the forward end of the body forming a fulcrum and a second fulcrum projecting forwardly from the body between its edges, a cutter movable in the slideway,

its forward end toembrace said enlargement, a blade projecting forwardly from said notched end, the body being constructed with a fulcrum or turning point, and means for holding the-cutter in position within the slidewayr In testimony. whereof]: a-ffix my. signature,

in presencev of two'witnesses.

FREDERICK C. SMALSTIG.

Witnesses:

J, M. NEsBIT, MARGARET HUGHES. 

